


Layla

by debbystitches



Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:35:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25064014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/debbystitches/pseuds/debbystitches
Summary: In a time when Eliot is recovering from being hurt, he discovers a new shop in the neighborhood.
Relationships: Eliot Spencer/Original Female Character
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

She’s not the usual patron of the bar. She’s been sitting at the end with her shots and her phone. She’s turned down everyone that has approached her. Eliot doesn’t know what to make of her. He’s watching from his place in the back booth. She texts and smiles or frowns depending on the reply. She doesn’t look up when the door opens. She isn’t waiting for someone. She’s drinking top shelf tequila alone. Eliot heard a song like that one time. At the close of the night, she drops some money on the bar and starts to leave. That’s when Eliot sees the Oklahoma State Jacket, boots and the cut out in the back of her well-worn Rockies jeans. _OH mama, a real country girl, from home I bet_. 

“Excuse me, Excuse Me!” he calls as he tries to get up. This is the first night the team has allowed him to go downstairs in nearly a month. “Ma’am are you sure you’re okay to drive?” he calls as he signals to Lisa the manager to lock the door before SHE can leave. “Yeah, ‘m fine” Eliot hears in that Oklahoma lilt he’s missed for the last year or more. She turns to look at him still trying to stand with his walking stick and stiff knee. Eliot sees the fire in the gold green eyes. They have the same hint of blue that oxidized copper has in the weather. Her hair is just like a brand-new copper penny. The frames of her glasses are the same color, and both highlight the freckles on her face. If she’s wearing makeup Eliot cannot tell. She cocks one boot out, standing on one foot she raises her chin with a defiant look. 

Eliot stretches to his nearly 6’ height knowing that in those dogging heeled boots, she’s as tall as he is. The petal pink of her lips matches the tip of her tongue she lets sneak out to wet her lips in her embarrassment of being highlighted. She’s standing there her jacket hanging over her shoulder, so that Eliot can see the roundness of her front. He can see the tops of her breasts in the scoop neck of her shirt. There are freckles there too. The purple shirt is tucked into the top of faded blue jeans but her extra weight pushes against the fabric and only dips in at her waist with the tightness of her belt and waistband. The roundness of her lower abdomen doesn’t deter his look. She’s a big girl. Well padded as he sees her wide hips accentuated by the cut of the jeans. The legs of the jeans are tight at her crotch but not so tight as to give her a camel toe. Her thighs are thick and don’t allow light to be seen between them or her crotch. A growl of hunger rumbles up from Eliot’s throat. He follows those long legs down to scuffed up cowboy boots the same color as her belt. Eliot’s instinct knows that her belt, the shafts of her boots and probably a wallet are all worked with the same design. 

While his eyes slowly climb the length of her, she’s checking him out. She lets a slow smile fill her face and light her eyes even more. He’s in workout pants, converse sneakers, a long sleeve shirt and hoodie. He knows she thinks he’s a city boy. He also knows she’s not in something to make her look country. She’s not like the hiking gear wearing trail walkers he sees in the pub every day. He smiles to match her look as he hobbles over. “I’m sorry but we have to be sure, ya know it’s our responsibility if you hurt someone, now a days.” “Well y’all are safe, I’m walking, my place is two doors down.” _Two door down? There’s a new yarn store two doors down._ He thinks. His face shares his thought. “Yes, the yarn shop.” “Ah, okay.” He starts to welcome her to the neighborhood when she interrupts him. With the movement of her right foot he sees the butt of a hand gun against her jeans. “I’ll be fine.” “Nah, I’m not sure about that.” Eliot counters. 

Nathan and the team come down the back stairs into the pub just as she’s headed to the door. Parker says, “Have a good night Layla.” Eliot looks at the woman and lets her name roll through his mind. “Night Parker” she responds as Eliot thinks, _No way, Layla doesn’t fit her, that’s a rock and roll song, she’s country, down home, walking down a red clay road in daisy dukes and a tank top with her boots. She’s a Peaches, Sunny, Angel Eyes, something warm and soothing like fresh cornbread or biscuits._ Lisa lets the gal out the door and locks it behind her when she turns and strides away. “No, Lis… Don’t let her go.” Sophie cocks an eyebrow at Nate. Hardison turns a smile to Parker who looks confused.

Layla is still walking down the block when Eliot manages to shuffle out of the pub. He watches the loose sway of her hips. It makes him think of slow walking horses in a meadow on an early spring day. In his mind he sees them leave the horses to eat the sweet new growth as they kiss, then disappear into the high grass. He whispers her name, “Layla” like he’s crooning with Clapton, as she turns to unlock the yarn shop. She shoots him a sly look as she holds the door open waiting for him to catch up. When he steps into the shop before her, his senses are overtaken with warmth, color and comfort. Balls, bundles, twists and skeins are lining the walls in crates, metal tubs, cookie tins and baskets of all kinds. Fuzzy poofs invite hands to touch, pet. Sleek scarves of shiny threads glimmer in the security lighting. Each item he sees is a reflection of Layla. Soft, sleek, warm, intriguing. Once again that rumble of need is in his throat, just under his breath. Further back Eliot sees fingerless gloves and beanies. There are fisherman sweaters in the finest wool mixed with intarsia sweaters that would fit in at any high-end ski lodge. 

While Eliot absorbs the look of the shop, Layla locks the front door and re-engages the alarm system at the touch pad. She walks past him to open the door in the back. When she flips a light switch, Eliot sees a riot of color there too but this time it’s not yarn, it’s fabric. As Eliot catches up to her, she makes it to another door. She opens that door too, leaving it ajar. From there Eliot smells wood, stain and varnish. He steps into a small wood working shop. Hand tools are lined up on a wall of shelves and pegs. The large table in the center has tiny shards of thin wood laying out like pieces of stained glass. Beside it is something that looks like half a picture frame sitting in some sort of vise. As he follows Layla deeper into the work room, he sees the other half of the frame. Mystery solved. “This is some set up you have here.” He comments as she points him to a recliner in the corner. “Thanks, I was lucky to find the space to do all three in one place. It was hard to work in different locations before.” She replied as she pulled out the rolling chair from a desk. “Where was that?” Eliot asks “Stillwater, Oklahoma was the woodworking shop, Guthrie was where I worked in the yarn store and Hennessy is where I put time in the quilting store.” Layla answered with happiness in her voice “How did you end up out here?” Eliot inquires further. “An aunt called for help. She’s upstairs with a night nurse.” She replied “Help?” Eliot’s Leverage client instinct was pinging. “She has Alzheimers. She didn’t want to move back to Oklahoma, so the cousins got together and drew straws.” She laughed softly, “No really, we compared jobs, knowledge and freedoms and I won the argument between me and my sister.” 

“So, what do you do here?” He says looking around “I make frames. Wooden quilt plaques, marquetry flats, and stretch items like canvas, cross stitch and filet crochet.” She answers “That sounds cool.” Says Eliot “It is fun but there are days when I can’t take one more splinter, I need to feel something soft and warm.” Eliot’s thoughts danced off in a soft and warm direction at that comment. “What else do you do?” he asked bringing his thoughts back to the beauty beside him “Usually, I’m upstairs with Aunt Jean. We watch all the old movies I can find, we listen to records, and on good days, she tells me about the family back in Oklahoma. I record her talking, transcribe them and send digital copies of both back to my dad, aunt, uncles, sister and cousins in Oklahoma.” Eliot smiles at the thought of old stories of Oklahoma. He asks more, “Do you know what brought her here?” Smiling with memories she replied, “Yea my Uncle Mack worked in aerospace in Tulsa, when the company relocated, they did too. When he retired, they moved down here, and she opened the yarn shop.” Eliot looked confused “This yarn shop?” he asked. “No it was across town, but it burned down. Her symptoms weren’t as bad but she left a pot on the stove. When she admitted she needed help with the fire and stuff, like I said I moved.” Layla completed her tale. “Well welcome to the neighborhood. You met Parker.” Eliot added. “Yeah and Hardison, he came in with the security contractor. Parker had a great time with Aunt Jane. They talked about flying trapezes and scaling glass buildings. My Aunt Jane was an acrobat until she met Uncle Mack. I guess Parker is an avid climber?” Layla asked. “Something l like that.” Eliot answered. He looked up at the wall across from him. There in picture frames were things that Layla had described. There was an antique quilt square behind glass. There was something that looked like the top of Eliot’s mom’s music box in a very plain frame. The Lord’s Prayer in cross stitch, embroidery, and filet crochet all labeled by carved letters in the golden frames. She went through the items with him as he looked.

“I made all that except for the quilt square. That was a picker’s find. I carved the labels in the frames. I put the gold on the frames too. Gilding, it’s called. This watercolor is from a cousin. I was teaching him how to frame and float his items. The canvases are from an old boyfriend. The wood portrait is him. I did that after he passed away.” She finished softly “I’m sorry.” Eliot inserted when she paused. At that moment her phone rang. “Excuse me, it’s my nightly check in with my dad.” She said as she turned away. “Hey pop, how are you tonight?” she listened then she added, “No sir, I went out tonight like I promised you. I am back in the wood shop but only for a few moments.” She rolled her eyes then said, “I love you too old man.” Before she disconnected the call. “Sorry, he worries about me too much.” She said to Eliot. He smiled at her letting the laugh lines crinkle beside his eyes. “I have people like that too.” He commented. 

“Well Eliot, I’m happy that I met you but it’s getting late and I do have a business to open in the morning.” Eliot didn’t let the disappointment show in his face as he nodded his head. “Yeah I need to be up early too.” “Can you get back into your pub from the back or do you want to go through the front door.” Layla asked. He gestured at the back door beside steps to the upstairs of her building. “It would be better to go this way.” She placed a key fob against a panel at the door then opened it. As he hesitated on the back step she inhaled deeply. Eliot’s eyes dropped to the swell of her breasts at the top of her neckline. He swallowed and bit his lip a little before looking into Layla’s eyes. “Can I invite you out for dinner sometime?” He inquired leaning in a little. She leaned into him placing her hand on his chest. She inhaled deeply again then hummed a little before letting a breathy “Yes” out with a soft look through her lashes. Just before Eliot could dip his chin to kiss her, she pulled his shirt to her and kissed him. It was quick, chaste and hot as hell. Eliot’s brain melted at the touch. Before he regained his senses, she stepped back and smiled. “Have a good night, Eliot.” He smiled back at her, the refrain for “Layla” begin in his head as he carefully stepped away from the back door of her place and strutted back to the back of the brew pub where the night prep cooks were standing smoking. 

Layla leaned against the door. Woman what have you gotten into now? She thought shaking her head. She pushed in the code to engage the alarm for the door again. She walked back to the interior door of the frame shop. She looked out the front window, and froze. Sitting under the street light across the road was a man in leather, dark helmet and gleaming chrome covered motorcycle. When she flipped off the light switch she moved from the doorway leaning against the wall beside her. In a mirror in the yarn shop she saw the image of a dragon glitter on the helmet as the rider kicked on the cycle. When the menacing figure had moved past the door of her shop, Layla slammed the security door between the shop and work room. She ran to the next heavy door, slammed it shut, and grabbed her phone. At the bottom of the stairs she called Hardison and turned off the woodworking room light. “That guy, the one I was worried about. I think I just saw him.”


	2. House Rules

Hardison exploded from his room with a go bag, calling for Nate and Eliot. “The gal you saw tonight, a new security client, Layla. She has trouble. It’s bad trouble, and she has her aunt and a night nurse to protect. We need to set up over there for a while.” “Okay, Hardison, run it.” Nate said as Sophie pushed him toward the coffee pot and started water in the tea kettle. Parker came out of the back bedrooms of the apartment Nate claimed as his own. Eliot was coming in the door. Hardison slipped a flash drive into the side of his tablet. “Okay, Layla Stewart. Age 40 something, single, oldest daughter of Ollie and Lana Stewart from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ollie’s sister Jean Fitzpatrick invited one of the cousins to come live with her after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Jean has Layla running the new yarn shop two doors down. Layla left behind a lot of problems when she moved to Portland. Number one was a real bastard of an ex-husband. He’s abusive, conniving and may have came all the way to Portland to come after her. After leaving him Layla got involved with an internet troll. He claimed to be a business man from Houston. They traded messages, then pictures, then phone calls and finally a video which carried a virus. All of her financial data was stolen. The troll claimed innocence but started asking security type questions. She refused to answer him and spent months changing banks, and cleaning up the mess. Then her mentor, a history professor in Stillwater died in a house fire. Layla was suspected at first. Then the phone calls, instant messages, and emails started. Some of them were blackmail and some were death threats. Aunt Jean needed help at just the right time. So, she relocated with her aunt and hired Leverage Security for the business and her personal protection.” 

“Just who is supposed to be her personal protection, Hardison?” Eliot said in his gruff complaining tone. “Well you, we thought it could be you, Eliot but well you’re a little broke down right now so Sophie said she would call someone.” “Who, Soph, who ya gon’ call? Who you know would be better than me?” “I didn’t think we would need better than you Eliot.” Sophie said. “I called a retired Navy Seal I worked with a few years back. He runs a security agency too. Personal protection is their specialty.” “A stranger? A Seal?” Eliot squinted his eyes at Sophie and shook his head in disgust. “Eliot, we didn’t want to put you in the position to have to take something so mundane.” Nat suggested, “What are you going to do, learn to knit? Update her computer for 2 weeks? Become the day and night nurse for her Aunt? There’s no scenario where you could really fit in. When we anticipate needing a hitter that will be when you come in but before then, what are you going to do?” Eliot huffed in greater anger than anyone had seen him before. He got up from his seat with the walking stick and said he was leaving. Parker said, “Eliot, I have something you can do instead.” “What ya got sweetheart?” the hitter asked his favorite thief. “Come with me.” The young woman said.

“Hardison, Nate, even you Soph, we’re not through with this. Especially you Hardison. I am not finished with you.” Eliot growled pointing two fingers at the lot of them before he followed Parker out the door. Hardison went back to explaining what he had in place with Layla already. “Well Eliot thinks he needs to be on this so Hardison, you have to follow Eliot’s lead, if you don’t he’s going to get really upset.” On the roof, Parker was leading Eliot over the tarred surface to Layla’s roof access. She called Layla as she opened the door. “It’s Parker, I’m bringing you some help for the night.” Parker lead a limping Eliot down the steps to the third floor of the building. They met Layla there. “Parker and uh, Eliot…” Layla started. “Yeah Sparky here is our hitter. If your ex thinks he’s getting in here to do harm well, Eliot will take care of him.” “So, you’re my guard dog?” “Something like that.” Eliot said as he ran a hand through his hair and around the back of his neck. He noticed that Layla was barefoot but still in her jeans. There was a pancake rig in the flat of her back holding a dark pistol handle. Her purple t-shirt was replaced with a ripped-up jersey. It had no sleeves, and half the numbers. It bared her mid-drift like she was a teenager. Parker explained his assignment. “I have a few climbing rigs up here in your attic. I thought that Eliot could wait up here and drop in on your open floor plan 2nd floor if there was a problem. From that point you can see the street and Hardison can send you a link for Layla’s back door.” “A rig? I’m a bat? I’m a gargoyle looming over the top of the building?” “Well Eliot, it’s the rig or you can pace the floor all night on that nasty knee of yours.” Eliot shot Parker a look meant to frighten her, but she smiled like he was a new puppy. “No, listen, I can’t let Eliot hang out up here all night. If he wants to watch the front door and the back, he can do that from my office.” 

Eliot wasn’t so sure about going down more stairs, but he was willing to tough it out to help his team. When Parker and Layla walked to the corner and opened a door Eliot was relieved to see an elevator. He didn’t want to be someone that needed the help but right now, without pain pills, he was ready to cut his leg off and leave it against the curb. The elevator stopped on the second floor and Layla pointed to the door opposite the hallway. “That is my office. It is also the place where the stairs come up from the main floor. If anyone tries to come up, you’ll see them right away.” As she led them into the room. “I keep a loaded shotgun in this shelf right here.” As she slid a picture on a floating shelf. The bottom dropped to reveal the shotgun and shells. “It holds 5 shots and one in the chamber.” “I won’t need it.” Eliot said with a little bravado. “and if you will trust me, I would prefer you didn’t carry your little friend in the apartment.” Layla put her hand behind her back. “I’ll put it away.” She agreed.

Layla woke her computer and showed Eliot the triple screens. She slid the shotgun concealment closed and engaged the lock. She pointed to another door, private restroom and then a light. “If that light comes on it means the nurse, or my aunt has tripped a call button. It goes on in my room too, so don’t worry about it. In the morning you’re going to see three young girls let themselves in. They are my set- up crew. One will use the elevator to come up here and make breakfast for Aunt Jean, me, and her coworkers. I’ll leave word to feed you too. She won’t come up the stairs, she has a problem with stairs.” 

Eliot looked at the room and thanked Layla for the use of her space. Parker and Layla backed out of the room when Hardison, Nate and Sophie came up the stairs. Parker beckoned them to follow and Eliot stumped after them. Hardison turned the television on in the main space. He flipped to the channel that showed the indoor cameras then set his tablet up to see the outdoor cameras. Parker helped Layla make tea and coffee chattering on about Eliot. Eliot listened to Hardison and Parker at the same time. When he heard Parker getting a little too personal with her information, he would call for her. By the time she skipped over to ask him what he wanted, she had forgotten. Layla noticed the ploy and changed the subject when Parker veered off again.

After drinks were placed on the large ottoman, Layla started with her own explanation. She covered her ex, the troll and the arson. "I don’t know who is behind the cyber stalking and harassment. I have changed my number, email, and dropped all my social media and the messages just keep coming. Hardison, I got a new one today." She pulled up a message on her own tablet. 

> Buzi Cama: Hello Layla, I have these pictures of you, and I am going to send them to your bosses, the people you interviewed and your family if you don’t send me $3,000.00 within 24 hours. 

The pictures were cropped so that nothing showed but the bare shoulders were questionable. Eliot looked at her face, the smile, the messy buns and the background. Her quilting room was set up similar to the background. It was nearly 3 in the morning and fatigue was showing in Layla’s face when Eliot tried to get his team to pack it in. Layla’s phone rang. Eliot’s favorite verse of “House Rules” by Christian Kane “You can’t touch the women, but they can grab whatever they want to” played as she fumbled with it trying to silence the music. “It’s my dad.” She said. “Daddy?” she said then she turned white. Hardison was right there plugging something into her phone. The tinny voice coming from the speaker was not Layla’s dad. “Layla, you owe me, and I will collect. Maybe I will get it from your daddy, what about your momma, oh that sister of yours looks tempting. But first, I’ll get it from your poor aunt or one of your employees.” The call disconnected. Hardison was working at his tablet as Parker wrapped her arms around Layla. “Alec is good at this, don’t worry. We do this all the time.” Layla was shaking. Eliot wanted to hold her but knew he had to stay unattached. The other’s could get attached, Eliot could not.

“Hardison…” Eliot started to say as he gritted his teeth. “I know El. I almost have it. The caller was local, spoofed the caller i.d., I didn’t get a precise location. Layla, I want to clone your phone and when you get calls I want to check them all. Are you okay with that?” “You can have the damn thing. I’ll stick with the phone for the business.” Alec shook his head before saying, “No, we want you to keep answering just give us a chance to find this, this…” “This butthead” Parker added. “Until then you have the best growly guard dog there is.” Layla looked at Eliot’s leg on a pillow on her sofa, his walking stick and at his friends. “You promise?”


	3. Where there's smoke

The call light woke Eliot about 30 minutes after he went to sleep. He cracked the door to the hallway to listen in case muscle was needed. He heard Layla’s soft sultry voice ask what was up before the door to her aunt’s suite shut. The light went off and Eliot lay back in the recliner and listened to the sounds of the building. The heater wasn’t loud at all. He heard a compressor softly hum from Aunt Jean’s suite. She must be on oxygen. The sound of a chain and another motor had his attention. It all came from the hallway though. When the subtle noises in Jean’s room stopped and Layla padded back to her room, Eliot went back to napping in the recliner. At 8 a.m. he was awakened again. This time it was the elevator. Eliot heard wheels on the hallway hardwood. He watched the security screens to see a small gal in a wheelchair roll down the hallway.

When the little cook stopped in the kitchen, Eliot watched as she pushed a button on the wheelchair and the contraption stood her up. From that position she could reach the things she wanted and manage the stove. She made pancakes, keeping them warm in the wall oven. She fried bacon, created trays and harvested herbs from a lighted grow center. Eliot was entranced with the dance she performed in the kitchen. Not a movement was wasted. When things were settled into steam trays, she lowered her stance into a chair position and wiped her head. She pulled out a cell phone. Through the cracked door, he heard her call downstairs. “Okay, bitches, breakfast is ready. Use the elevator. Layla has a guest in her office. I think she said a cousin.” _Cousin, hmmm, kissing cousin?_ Shaking his head, he smiled then leaned back to close his eyes. Layla, in sleep shorts and that cropped top moved behind his eyelids. A call up the stairs from Parker opened his eyes again. _Oh great_. Parker skipped up the steps with another woman behind her. “Sparky, this is Honey, she’s Mz. J’s morning nurse. Honey, this is Eliot. He’s looking after the place at night for a few weeks until we get some new security measures installed.” “Has there been any trouble?” The southern voiced woman asked. “Just a few cameras not working right. It must have been a bad batch.” Parker assured her. 

Eliot watched the two women leave his view in the room, move into camera range in the hall then part ways at Aunt Jean’s door. Parker passed over to Layla’s door and knocked. Layla, in a bra and slacks, opened the door and left it for Parker to follow her. Eliot noticed in another camera sight line he could see into Layla’s room to the mirror over her vanity which reflected the closet and the bed. Eliot broke away from watching that view and went back to checking the lower floor and exterior cameras. The other two young women came through the back rooms and into the elevator. Eliot saw a man in leather and a motorcycle helmet walk up to the front door then try to open it. Lifting the visor, he tried to peer into the room then slipped something into the mail slot on the door. Eliot hopped up from his seat hustled down the steps on one leg made it through the two three interior doors and to the front door in time to snuff out the burning paper licking at the door’s paint. He called Hardison from there. “Some one tried to set her place on fire by slipping something through the mail slot.” “I saw him on the front camera feed and Winnie is tracking the bike through camera lights.” “okay, let me know what you find out.” Eliot growled. 

Layla noticed the faint smell of smoke when Eliot came back upstairs. “Some one slipped a lit paper in your mail slot. Hardison is having the door replaced today.” “Such a shame, I love that old glass look.” “It will look the same it just won’t have an internal mail slot anymore.” “Okay, thank you.” She led him to the table where her aunt, four employees and Parker were all filling plates and passing syrups. “Some day you’ll have to let Eliot cook for you. He makes these purple pancakes with this filling and berries. Their yummy!” Eliot looked down at his plate and blushed lightly. The group ate and listened to Jane talk about what ever came to her mind. They did their best to keep up with her thought process and ease her out of getting frustrated and angry. When the breakfast was finished Jane went back to bed. Honey cleaned the table and loaded the dishwasher. Layla and her girls went downstairs. Parker and Eliot discussed a few things then Eliot went back to the Brew Pub and Parker went to the third floor.   
  



	4. the door opens out

Eliot made his way back to his rooms in the Leverage building. He lay down on his bed. Within minutes he was asleep, he was dreaming of watching Layla walk around his rooms in the clothes she slept in. In 90 minutes, he was awake, refreshed. He moved into his recovery routine. As he went through the stretches and movements to strengthen his injured leg and keep the rest of his body in shape, he watched the monitor feeds of the shop two doors down. Layla and her employees were all dressed in knitted tops. Layla had chosen a summer weight tank top worn over a coordinating t-shirt. She had a skinny scarf ran through the belt loops of her low-rise jeans. Her hair was tied back with something made of yarn and beads. Eliot watched her move. For a large woman she moved like a dancer. As he moved, she moved and the song “Blaze” played in the background. She hugged her friends and was gracious with her customers. At the end of Eliot’s work out, she took a call. 

Eliot watched the screen carefully as she ended the call. She moved to her sewing room. Her movements were stiffer. She sat at her desk to start the laptop she kept there. Eliot wondered if Hardison could get into the computer to see what she was looking at. Layla slammed her fists down on the keyboard of the computer. She checked her watch. She went to the door to the store and spoke to someone. When she was finished, she shut the door and locked the deadbolt Eliot leaned in. He watched her flip through her phone chose a play list, sat the phone on a dock and ripped the tank top off. She removed the scarf from her hips, removed her hair ties and replaced it with a contraption to hold her hair off her neck. When she removed her business attire shoes and slipped into a pair of boots Eliot saw her demeanor change. 

Stomping around the table she folded away the project she had laid out in front of her. She pulled 4 bolts down from behind her. She ripped a piece of cloth from each of the bolts then as she haphazardly stacked the fabric, she twirled a rotary cutter between her fingers. She slashed at the fabric. She moved things around and when she couldn’t get the desired effect with the cutter, she pulled a small knife from under her top. As she got the cuts she desired and took away the extra fabric. Eliot saw a landscape build from the pieces. She pulled and ripped more fabric to layer on the top. Eliot was entranced. He was sweaty and breathing hard but he couldn’t move. More and more pieces built the quilt. When she lay out pieces that looked like feathers, he knew he wanted that quilt. He knew the scene she was setting. He watched her look up at the door from the wood room. Eliot looked through the feeds to see who was standing in the door. All he could find was a large shadow. Layla reached for something at the small of her back. Eliot moved at that moment. Her handgun was not on her and her guard dog was standing in a different building. 

He ran barefoot across the hall to the stairs. Up the stairs he was yelling, “Call 911” to whomever heard him. He hit the fire alarm of the Leverage building and fumbled for his phone. “Parker” he was shouting at his phone. “I’m already on my way” was her reply. Eliot swung out the alley door and ran barefoot down the alley to see the motorcycle by Layla’s back door. He pushed it over as he swung into the backdoor of the workshop. The door was barred. Eliot slammed his stocky body against the metal leaving shoulder sized dents in it but doing nothing to open the door. Eliot used his reach to pull himself up to the fire escape. He mounted the steps to the window of the 2nd floor. It was unlocked. He eased into the building and down the stairs. He stumbled against Parker leaning over a twitching man using rip cord to tie him up while Layla secured his feet. Layla smiled at Eliot when she saw him. She went to step over the captive when he moved and tripped her. She landed in Eliot’s arms against his nearly naked chest.


	5. telling tales

Helping Layla stand back on her own feet, Eliot let out a little chuckle. Layla was obviously embarrassed about tripping, but her face turned to concern when she saw the darkening bruises on Eliot’s shoulder from his multiple impacts with her steel back door. She reached out to touch him, but Eliot pulled back. He didn’t like sympathy or others seeing his weaknesses. Parker watched the two in their silent exchange of looks and gestures. Layla stepped back over her assailant. Parker showed Eliot the wallet of the man tied and gagged on the floor. “Juan Joshua Tyler” Eliot read from the id. “Oklahoma driver’s license, BOK Visa, Tulsa Library card, PayPal debit, Cash App debit”, he went on. “Tell me about him?” Eliot asked but Layla had left the room without his notice. A banging on the back door interrupted his thoughts of looking for Layla and Parker. Sophie, Nate and Hardison came in the back door after Parker opened it. Nate was pulling a hand truck behind him. Hardison and Nate pulled the man up onto the platform and tied him to the supports before moving him into the storage closet meant to house a safe for the business. Layla returned from upstairs. Eliot noticed the bulge at the small of her back, his face showed his disapproval. 

Layla led the team back out to her show room. She pulled a heavy velvet curtain over the front window and doors. Once they were concealed behind the drapery she sat in the corner of a long sofa. Parker took the opposite end, mirroring Layla’s position. Eliot took a chair near Parker, with Hardison, Nate and Sophie taking seats to complete the ensemble. “Josh, was a long distance boyfriend of mine last year. He and I had a falling out over the truth. He lied about being in the military, his rank and other things. I told him to go away. He tried to bluff me into thinking he was someone else in the military and again I told him to go away. Then he came to my door. He showed me he was really the person he said he was but, not the rank, or the specialty he claimed to be in. We had not talked in 6 months by that time and I had moved on. He didn’t take that very well. The final straw was when he went to my ex and showed him all the things I had been doing online. I took refuge with my history professor hoping to get out of town once my funds had recovered. I’m sure Alec told you that Professor Stone died. Then Aunt Jean needed help and I thought I had escaped. I’m not sure about Aunt Jean’s old place if it’s my fault or something to do with her memory.” 

“I don’t get it,” Nate said. “This is the second internet guy we have heard of?” “I know. It’s a new time and my friends were having success finding dates online so I thought I would try it too. The scammer Buzi, I knew him as Tim, wasn’t the first. He was just the first I really fell for. Then I thought I was being even more careful when I met Josh. But now he’s here and Buzi is calling. I just don’t see what they continue to want from me.” “Well thanks to Mr. Sparky, we could get information out of Josh if you would like.” Parker commented then smiled maniacally. Eliot, Nate, Sophie and Hardison all gave each other knowing looks. “Let’s wake him up and ask him some questions.” Nate agreed but he put his hand on Parker’s arm as he leaned near her. She handed over the taser.

Josh came to strapped to the hand truck. He struggled looking at his captors until his eyes rested on Layla. “What the hell baby girl?” “What are you doing here Josh?” “I heard about the trouble you were having and thought I would come see if you needed help?” “Were you really helping when you dropped a flaming message through her mail slot yesterday?” Eliot asked. “Who are you and what are you talking about?” “I’ll ask the questions here, where were you 2 nights ago?” Eliot asked again. “On the road here. I didn’t arrive until tonight. Baby girl listen to me, I’m here to help. I know what happened in Oklahoma and I really just want to keep you safe. I want you; I need you Layla. Please trust me.” Eliot watched Layla out of the corner of his eye. She was stiff with anger. She was too angry to talk. “If,” she tried to start but it was followed by one tear and she turned away. Layla was shaking in anger. 

Eliot said, “No, she doesn’t need your help. So why don’t we call your Commander and tell him where you are?” Josh paled. Eliot knew it. The young man was AWOL. Sophie spoke up. “Instead of creating issues for him right now, let’s call someone to smooth his return and then let him get back to his life. BUT. You young man, you take this as a warning. If you return to this block without an invitation you will be met with more than the taser Parker over there used on you. I believe Layla has some knife skills, but they won’t compare with my knife skills and my husband’s ability to make you disappear.” Josh gulped and nodded his head. “My bike?” he mumbled. “Will be waiting on you when you return to your post.” Hardison tipped the dolly back and rolled the troublemaker out the doors down a ramp and over to Lucille 5+. Sophie was on the phone as she followed him with Nate and Parker following her. Eliot held a hand out to Layla while leaning on his cane. 

“I can’t Eliot. I can’t do this.” She began to shake again as the sound of a loud motorcycle roared from behind the curtains. Eliot looked at her. “You are not alone.”


	6. weaving in loose ends

Eliot took his post in her office and watched her move through the 2nd floor apartment. She cleaned the kitchen after checking on her Aunt and the nurse. She straightened the living area and mopped the floor before moving into her room. After half an hour of watching the outside camera feeds he noticed Layla moving back into the living area. She turned on a lamp and the camera feeds on her large screen tv. She pulled a large item out of the storage ottoman in front of the sectional. As she pulled it into her lap Eliot realized she was settling down to knit. Through the door he had not closed he then heard her phone start playing music beside her. He listened to her sing along to the songs belting out lyrics with a strong voice and deep emotion. 

Layla sang about Oklahoma. Songs from her childhood up to new music. Her singing was interrupted by a phone call. Noticing the time, Eliot heard her cuss. “Yeah?” Eliot quietly stepped into the hall. “I tell you what Gypsy, when I get back home you and I can settle this like you want but until I’m done helping our aunt, I’m not putting up with your drunk calls.” She hung up saying “Bitch” She threw her head back on the low back of the sectional. She caught Eliot’s movement as he headed back to the office. “Hey, you don’t have to hide in there, you can watch the same stuff in here.” Eliot stopped, he thought about it and joined Layla in the living room. He settled on a space as far away from her as possible. “What did you do to your leg?” Layla asked as she shut off the music player on her phone. He looked down at it and said, “I got careless on my motorcycle.” “Really?” Eliot didn’t offer any more explanation. “I have one of those issues myself. She moved her leg out from beneath the monster knitting project in her lap. “Full knee replacement in 2018. I didn’t have any cartilage left in my knee.” Eliot didn’t say anything but Layla kept talking. “It really started when I was two or three, my mom dropped me on coffee table. From there it would swell up a lot during gym or when I was trying to get back in shape. I started swimming for exercise, and it was fairly good for a while. Then I thought, I should get this checked after a ligament just wouldn’t stretch and give me relief.” Layla stopped talking to turn the corner on her project. Eliot watched her fingers dance with the yarn and needles. Eliot asked, “What’s the issue with Gypsy?” Layla turned to him. “She’s mad at me because I’m not there to help her with the quilt shop. I’m doing my commissions and all the other’s I create go to her place for display but she would rather I was there running the shop so she can have her days off. I set her up with a reliable quilter, but she just doesn’t trust anyone but family.” Layla rolled her eyes then yawned. Eliot suggested she go to bed, but she shook her head. “I can’t sleep. I need to just stitch and pray.” “Pray for what?” Eliot inquired. “I pray for the person that gets this blanket, my family, my friends, other people I encounter. It’s like prayerful meditation.” “Then I’ll leave you to meditate.” Eliot started as he made to get up. She smiled at him as he passed her. She turned her music back on. He hummed along with her as she sang. 

Layla was asleep in the living room the next morning when her help arrived. She let the cook and the nurse move through their routine as she retreated to her room. She did not come out for breakfast with her crew and Eliot. Parker did join them though. She chattered on and on with the ladies about fibers and braiding things for rope and yarns. Eliot patted her shoulder as he left the table. He stopped at Layla’s door but he couldn’t make himself knock. When he left out the front door he saw three men on motorcycles parked across the street from the yarn shop. He started to approach them but thought better of it. Instead he called the pub and asked the cook and bartender to come out front. With back up, he approached the riders. “Are you waiting for us to open?” The largest three bikers asked if Eliot knitted? Eliot shook his head, “Nah man, I thought maybe you needed something to eat. But if your looking to buy yarn or needles for your next project I think you should try the big box store sixteen blocks away. The gals in there aren’t opening today since it’s inventory day.” “That’s a shame. I was hoping to talk to the owner about her prospects with Mr. Lucas.” Eliot had a name. He smiled. “Well, I guess you’ll have to wait. Come on two doors down and have something to eat before you take off.” Eliot turned and walked away. 

The three men followed Eliot and his employees. After they ate and paid, Eliot had the waitress bag the drinking glasses and money. Nate lifted the prints then set them up for Hardison to scan. Within half an hour they had identification of the three thugs and a lead on Mr. Lucas. 


End file.
